Since Vivian was born six weeks ago we’ve been spending a little more time inside.  I try to plan a fun activity every morning, but sometimes by the afternoon my energy is spent and I don’t feel like venturing out.  I’ve been brainstorming quiet activities to do with Evie and Mack, and last week I [...]

Evelyn is getting very curious about learning how to read.  She is only 3 1/2, so we’re starting with the basics right now. I was going to buy her some letter flashcards, but they seemed a bit overpriced for what they were.  Plus, I prefer to spend time with my kids making something.  I think [...]

Today was slushy and snowy and rainy.  After a busy week, I decided that today we’d stay inside.  I plan fun events every morning – children’s museum, swimming lessons, playdates, etc – so sometimes its nice to stay warm and snug at home. The only issue with staying home is finding things to keep the [...]

Chris and I just returned from a week long vacation – without the kids.  It was the most uninterrupted time we’ve had together since our honeymoon, and I treasured every second.  The simple joy of sitting at a cafe and staring out the window for an hour can not be understated. It was nice to [...]

Some people in my life always make me smile.  My Aunt Sheila is one of those people.  She is so optimistic and enthusiastic and energetic.  I really appreciate her zest for life and sunshiny attitude.  Seriously, she’s always laughing or smiling or listening. Because Sheila is only a year younger than my mom, she was [...]

The trouble with winter afternoons in Chicago is two-fold: not only are they cold, but they tend to get dark pretty early.  As a mother, this leaves me in a quandry: how do I fill the time between nap and bed?? Lately, I’ve been keeping the kids busy with simple crafts that require little more [...]

Little Evelyn has been very interested in money lately.  I’m not exactly sure what sparked this interest – perhaps its because her Dad works so hard and she sees me doing so much work from my home office.  I explain to her that we work so we can earn money to provide for her and [...]

By no means am I a crafty girl.  Sure, I can hold my own in the kitchen, and when it comes to whipping up homemade household cleaners I’ve become quite a champ.  But, crafting requires patience and skill and creativity, characteristics I’d rather devote towards other endeavors. However, now that the sun sets by 5 [...]

One of Evie’s favorite things to do when her little brother naps is play with Play-Doh.  “Mom, can I play play dough?” she asks so sweetly, not knowing that I cringe a little bit on the inside whenever she asks because A) it makes a huge mess and B) I get a little anxious about [...]

My youngest sister Colleen is getting married in a couple months.  She has been dating Rob for several years, so we are all very happy to officially welcome him to our family.  They make a great couple! My grandma and aunts hosted a lovely wedding shower in Colleen’s honor yesterday.  Because she is my sister [...]